Principal Burke
by Miss MaryAnn
Summary: I have added an epilog and the list of winners of the movie contest.Neal has an uncomfortable run-in with Principal Burke. AU. WARNING: this story has parental spanking in it. Don't like, don't read. No slash
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: 1, 2, 3... They don't belong to me but I sure wish they did.

WARNING: There is parental spanking in this story and two bad words. If this bothers you DON'T read it. No slash.

_I wrote this story as a gift for my friend Cola Kirk when I first began writing. I was afraid to participate in an exchange on LJ but I wanted to know if I could do it. So I wrote the story that was requested knowing I would never exchange it with anyone but her. Cola wanted a story where Peter sees Neal doing something he was told not to do and sends him to his office. Neal was supposed to feel like a misbehaving child being sent to the principal's office and when Principal Burke returns he treats Neal like a naughty school boy. This is what my crazy mind came up with._

PRINCIPAL BURKE

Agent Peter Burke gave his CI, Neal Caffrey, the two finger point to bring him up to his office. He wasn't looking forward to the conversation they needed to have. Neal was a very polished, suave man but he had an inner child that came out all too frequently. That Neal was childish, naughty and had a pout that could and would last all day.

Peter knew that last month's incident would come back to bite them. Every time they worked with the Organized Crime division Neal ended up in trouble mostly because he caused it. But the last incident had been both Neal and Jenkins' fault equally and had been addressed by their respective handlers, but there was still bad feelings on both sides and Peter knew they were headed for trouble. Peter wasn't a doomsayer by nature but two years with Neal had given him insight into Neal's personality and being stubborn and wanting and getting retribution were high on his list of personality traits.

Neal sauntered into the office and gracefully dropped into "his" chair in front of Peter's desk and said, "What's up?"

"We have a new case and we need to discuss it," Peter said as he watched the flash of interest light Neal's face and his trademark smile emerged. Peter smiled, Neal was such a kid sometimes. Then he continued, "We are working with the Organized Crime division on a sting op and Hughes will be briefing us in a few minutes." As he said those words the smile departed from Neal's face to be replaced with a frown and he started to speak.

"No Neal, not a word. I know you and Jenkins don't get along but this is not the schoolyard, this is a professional workplace, and you two have to play nice. I know he's a bully and he deliberately torments you but just like on the playground you have to learn to ignore the "bully" and do your job. If he gives you any trouble you are to come to me and I will handle it. Is that clear?" Neal wanted to say that he didn't need Peter to protect him; Neal felt that his adulthood was being threatened. He could take care of himself he didn't need or want to go running to Peter for protection.

Peter knew Neal better than anyone else and Peter feared that Neal's methods of dealing with Jenkins could get him sent back to prison. Peter was attempting to keep Neal safe and out of the Super Max. Couldn't the kid see that? The kid, so astute, so good at protecting himself in most circumstances had a blind spot a mile wide when it came to self control, when it came to how he dealt with frustration and annoying coworkers. He left himself open to being sent back to the Super Max if he resorted to his normal, illegal methods of getting even. Peter gave him a hard stare, trying to impress on Neal that he was serious. "I am adamant about this Neal, you **will** comply." Neal nodded and stood up as Hughes called them into the conference room for the meeting. Neal positioned himself behind Peter while Jenkins sat beside his handler, Ruiz. Standing behind Peter allowed Neal the opportunity to get in a few glares at Jenkins, which Jenkins returned, and when Peter noticed and pulled Neal into the chair beside him he realized that he was going to have a debacle on his hands if he didn't keep a close watch on Neal. _ So help me, I feel like a elementary school teacher, no, make that the school principal. He could change careers, become a principal, the lord only knew he had enough life experience dealing with children, in dealing with Neal. _

After the meeting the two groups headed out into the field to scout their suspect. There were no problems for the rest of the day and when the two groups met the next morning everything was peaceful, but that didn't last long.

Neal had found his means and opportunity for retribution. Means came to him in the unlikely form of excrement from a very large stray dog, left just for Neal's use and benefit. He found it near the entrance to the building they were staking out. The smile that lit his face could have lit Yankee Stadium at midnight. It was a good thing that he was alone when he found his inspiration. Peter would have been instantly suspicious if he had seen Neal's glee.

The next time the combined teams approached the entryway to the building, Neal steered Jenkins over to the gift he had found for him and jostled him at just the right moment and Jenkins stepped into the perfectly placed gift, at least in Neal's opinion. It was the ideal gift to match the man's personality. An unusually clumsy Neal apologized and moved away as a scent of colossal proportions wafted up and engulfed the other man. He looked down in shock and disbelief and just as quickly his glare swung over to Neal, he narrowed his eyes and dove into Neal, tackling him and they both went down yelling expletives at each other as they wrestled on the ground trying for a clear punch at the other's face.

Jones, who was walking with the group, pulled Neal away from an equally irate Jenkins and pushed Neal around the corner of the building looking for their boss. He found Peter conferring with Ruiz. Peter looked up, saw the two men, rather one man and one disobedient, guilty looking little boy approaching him. The little boy looked up fleetingly, made eye contact with his boss and wished he hadn't and winced. He watched Peter morph from friend, to FBI agent, to Principal Burke in three seconds flat. The waves of anger emanating from Peter as Jones explained what happened convinced Neal that he was dead meat. What had he been thinking? He guessed he hadn't been thinking.

Peter excused himself from Ruiz, assuring him that he would take care of his juvenile delinquent, snatched Neal's arm and marched him towards the Tauras with Jones following behind. "Jones, I want you to take him back to the office" and turning to Neal he added, "I want you in my office, in your chair, and you will stay there till I arrive. Is that clear?" Both men nodded and left. Jones was pissed at Neal and let him know it. He was probably going to miss the action because of one infantile prank performed by one very childish man. Neal was pissed because who gave Jones the right to read him the riot act.

When Peter entered the bullpen two hours later Neal was sitting in the a fore mentioned chair awaiting his fate. "Neal, I gave you an order two days ago which you ignored. Today you behaved like a naughty child in the schoolyard and you will be punished as such. Come here." Neal shook his head, No. Peter couldn't punish him here in front of the whole bullpen, even if it was currently empty; it would be incredibly embarrassing, he'd never be able to show his face in the office again. Peter yelled "NOW." Neal jumped up automatically and scurried over to meet his fate.

"I want you to hold out your right hand, palm up." A confused Neal complied, he had no idea what was going on. Peter took a ruler out of his desk drawer, lifted it up and slapped it down across Neal's palm causing Neal to holler, "S**t Peter, that hurt," as he cradled his stinging hand to his chest.

"It is supposed to. Hold your hand out. You are going to get five more strikes to your hand and then an equal number to your left hand. You behaved like a naughty school aged child. That's the way you will be corrected. Hand out Neal."

Neal started to object as he raised his hand but the rest of the strikes to his palms robbed him of his breath and he hissed in pain. When it was finally over Neal had tears running down his face. Principal Burke patted him on the shoulder, told him to go wash his face and then get to work one some paperwork for the rest of the day. A chastened Neal did as he was told and decided he never wanted to go back to school. It was too painful.

The next day the teams reassembled and prepared to take down the suspect that afternoon. Neal behaved himself, not leaving Peter's side as he had been ordered and things went as expected. They took their suspect down with no trouble and the teams started to clean up the scene. Neal was walking around the corner of the building when Jenkins came up behind him and gave his a hard shove that had him tumbling down a cement staircase landing on the concrete floor. One of Ruiz's men saw the attack, yelled for help, and ran down the steps to check on Neal. Although Neal could have been badly hurt, it seemed he had been lucky, no obvious broken bones or head trauma were found. Peter and Ruiz arrived and assessed Neal. "LB lay still. The paramedics will be here in a few minutes."

"I'm OK Peter."

"No, you don't know that. Now lie still."

The paramedics arrived, assessed Neal and carted him off to the ambulance, Peter one step behind them. He knew how Neal felt about anything medical and he would have to put his foot down to get the kid to cooperate. Peter, Neal and the medics entered the ambulance and the medics tried to help Neal remove his clothing so they could examine him. Neal refused until he caught Peter's eye. He gave in ungraciously and he soon was sitting in his briefs while the medics poked and prodded his body. They even had him lay on his stomach so they could check his back, legs and everything in between. After this total humiliation, they finally let him get redressed as they gave Peter their assessment. He had several deep gouges on his arms and one gash on the side of his head that needed stitches. "There is no evidence of concussion which was fortunate; that was some fall he took," the medic said. "He has spectacular bruising on almost seventy per cent of his body, the only area not affected was his butt, which escaped relatively unscathed."

Peter smirked and said, "How fortunate indeed for you Neal. A small portion of your body is currently untouched."

Neal would have had to be incredibly stupid not to hear the threat and promise implied in Peter's words. He gulped and said, completely embarrassed to have it come out as a childish whine, "I didn't do anything. It wasn't my fault." After stitching the gash on his head the medics finally released him into Peter's care. Neal wasn't sure Peter's care was any better than being in Jenkins' hands. Peter was beyond annoyed. Neal was apprehensive, he knew a irritated Peter could be his doom.

Peter escorted Neal back to the Taurus and started the lecture at the first step. "You will sit in the car and wait for me. You will not move from here and you will not even look at Jenkins if he comes this way. I am very unhappy with your behavior. You would be very wise to not annoy me any further."

"Peter, I really am innocent this time. I didn't do anything. Why won't you believe me?"

"Maybe because you say that every time. Behave."

Peter went to find Ruiz who was interviewing everyone who had been in the area when Neal was hurt. Several of his team had seen what happened and since none of them liked Jenkins, he really was a bully and had ostracized himself from the team, they let Ruiz know that Neal was innocent, that Jenkins had deliberately pushed him down the cement staircase. Peter got a promise that Jenkins would be receive an official discipline and, feeling just a little uncomfortable that he had not believed Neal, Peter headed back to the car only to find it empty. _Unbelievable_. Neal was nowhere in sight. Just when things were starting to go well Neal jumped back into trouble once again. Rounding the other side of the building Peter stopped in shock, completely amazed at the scene in front of him. He blinked but the astounding scene remained.

There on the ground, rolling around trying to punch each other was Neal, Jenkins, Jones and three others from Ruiz' team. Diana was upright but yanking and pulling on arms and when that didn't work she started kicking and stomping bodies indiscriminately and with gusto. Peter winced, Diana was wearing stilettos. Had all of them lost their minds? _Unbelievable._

Peter was astonished that Diana was participating in the free-for-all. He knew Diana had not been a fan of Neal's. What he was unaware of was she now considered him to a part of their team and that meant that no one was allowed to hurt him. She had developed a protective streak that confused and embarrassed her. She still might not like or trust him very much but that didn't mean he was fair game for anyone else but her.

Peter yelled "Freeze." Everyone obeyed his shouted order. Peter had an impressive temper that was all the more stunning because he unleashed it infrequently. The schoolyard gang looked up and seemed to come to their senses, gazed at him with a mixture of trepidation and humiliation. The hoodlums, glum and resigned, kept their eyes on the ground, risking small glances at him and awaited his next words.

"What the h**l were you doing?" came the shout that made all of them wince. Peter was one scary man when in a temper. He waited but didn't receive an answer to his question. Again he yelled, "What happened." This time all of the miscreants answered at once. Peter sighed: the kiddies were giving him a headache. "All of you get up and be quiet. Diana, what happened."

"Boss, Neal and Jenkins were fighting when I got here and the others jumped in to help and I was trying to stop it." It was a whitewashed version of the truth since the strict truth wouldn't put her or anyone else in a good light.

Peter sighed again, he seemed to be doing a lot of that lately and said, "Neal, are you in the car? No, well that answers it all then. The rest of you need to get to work cleaning up the crime scene."

Peter grabbed Neal's arm and "forcefully escorted" him back to the car with Neal protesting all the way. "Peter, how can you not want to hear my side of the story. You can't just assume I'm guilty. That's not fair."

"Neal, did you stay in the car as ordered? Then you're guilty. End of story." Neal wished it was the end of the story but he could see that he still had a meeting in the principal's office to get through. The ride back to Peter's house was quiet. Peter was trying to calm his nerves and his temper. Neal was trying to ignore the upcoming trip to the principal's office. Both were failing.

When they entered the house Peter took Neal over to the dining room table, made him sit down and went over all the offenses Neal had chalked up that day which was a pretty impressive list.

"Neal, why? I told you to stay in the car. I gave you order after order and you didn't obey even one. You have behaved like a child today. I think a kid's punishment is called for. Isn't it nice that your backside came through the tumble down the stairs unscathed. I plan on remedying that right now. You sit there, and DON'T MOVE." The last two words were bellowed. Neal flinched, sat up straight and froze. If only he had obeyed that well earlier in the day.

Peter left the room and then returned carrying an instrument of torture. Why would Peter have a paddle similar to one you might see in an old fashioned movie? Neal didn't want to find out why he had it or anything else about it. In fact all he wanted was to get that thing out of his sight. The old adage holds true, be careful what you wish for. In a few moments Neal was bent over the table and he could no longer see the instrument of torture but he could feel it. Principal Burke was applying said instrument to Neal's bottom. The spanking continued for several minutes while Principal Burke reiterated his student's misdeeds and punctuated each one with a hard swat with the paddle. Neal was crying hard by the time the paddling ended. Principal Burke left, to be instantly replaced by Peter the loving man that was as close to a dad as he could be. Peter gently pulled his sobbing kid up and into his arms and held him close until he calmed down.

"LB, please try harder. I really don't want to spank you again but I will if you disobey me. I would much rather spend that time with you doing something we would both enjoy."

Neal sighed and said, "I'm trying. It's just hard. I really don't want to be spanked. I'll do better next time."

"Hey kid, El won't be home for a few hours so why don't we watch a movie and relax," the invitation in his dad's voice clear.

"Alright Peter but I get to choose the movie. If we left it up to you we'd be watching something from the dark ages, the 40's or 50's, in black and white."

"No, my house my choice."

"I should get to choose, I'm the guest," the whine coming out loud and clear in Neal's voice, causing Peter to wince. He really hated that sniveling tone of voice in his kid.

"OK, a compromise. I choose 5 or 6 movies and you get to pick the one you like the best." Peter rummaged through their shelf of movies and gathered up 6 dvd's and smiled at his choices. Those titles would get a rise out of the kid.

"But Peter, that's still not fair."

"Take it or leave it young man. You pick from my list or I will choose the movie. No more arguing." Peter was starting to get annoyed again. Why did the kid have to make such a big deal out of the simplest things?

Huffing out a frustrated "Fine" Neal grabbed the movies, looked at the titles and glared at Peter. "Very funny, you should become a comedian."

"What?" Peter tried for an innocent look but failed miserably. He gave up and just smirked at the frustrated boy and laughed at the pout that was blooming on Neal's face. "Just choose one already."

Neal glared at the dvd's in his hand, and fussed for a few minutes. He didn't want to watch any of Peter's choices. How do you choose between The Asphalt Jungle, To Sir, With Love, Grease, The Breakfast Club and High School Musical?

"Fine, we'll watch this one," and jammed the dvd into a player and huffily stomped over to the other end of the sofa. He threw himself down as far from Peter as he could get, crossed his arms, sulked and turned the movie on.

"Happy?," Peter asked. Neal wasn't happy, he had forgotten the sting he still had in his bottom, until his butt made contact with the sofa and he flinched and drew a sharp breath. He quickly glanced at his tormentor, friend and hopefully his dad to see if he had noticed. He had.

Peter smirked, "Good choice," as the movie began and laughed at Neal's frown. A few minutes later Neal was caught up in the movie, moved over and companionably leaned against Peter and they amiably watched the movie till El came home and the unique little family settled into their normal evening routine.

THE END

I would like to thank Cola Kirk for loaning back to me the gift I wrote for her. She has been a wonderful friend and I truly appreciate her.

If you review let me know which movie you think Neal chose. Let's call it a contest.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I wanted to announce the winners of the silly little contest about which movie Neal chose at the end of the story so I added this little epilog and announced the winners at the end. I hope you enjoy this short little addition.**

Epilog

Peter and Neal were still watching the movie when El returned from work about 2 hours later.

"Hi Hon, I hope you had a good day," she said as she leaned down to kiss him. The look on his face and the rolled eyes expression let her know that something had happened and since the cause of most of his problems was sitting on the sofa with him she had a good idea what, or who, had been responsible for his annoyance.

"Hi Neal, how did your day go?" was her next question as she pecked him on the cheek. She got no more information from him than from her husband as the young man in question merely shrugged, refusing to make eye contact and squirming on the sofa.

"Ooookaaaay. I guess, since you two have become functional mutes, I'll go start dinner."

"Sorry Hon, come and join us, the movie is almost over," Peter said as he patted the spot beside him while Neal moved to the other end of the sofa to make room for her.

El sat down with a sigh and cuddled into her husband's side. "I'm exhausted, my new client is very particular and has atrocious taste. It took hours to convince her that hot pink and chartreuse are not an "in" combination for a baby shower. What are we watching?"

"It's the last few minutes of To Sir, With Love. I haven't seen it in years."

"Why did you choose that one. I didn't think it's one that Neal would enjoy."

"Neal chose it, Hon."

"Oh," she said casting a look in Neal's direction. Neal, fidgeting once again, was resolutely watching the movie and failed once again to make eye contact with El. Hmm m_, something's wrong here. I_ _have never seen him this quiet unless he's in trouble. _El settled against her husband and watched the rest of the movie with them, determining to get to the bottom of mystery as soon as possible.

As soon as the credits started rolling El stood up and said, "Hon, will you help me in the kitchen please?"

"I'll be in in a minute. I need to talk to Neal first."

"Peter, I need your help now," the tone of her voice making him aware that it wasn't a request but an order.

Neal slumped back into the sofa , his aborted effort to rise and escape from the room thwarted as Peter said, "Neal, I'll be back in a minute and we can talk then. I'm coming Hon," and moved around the coffee table to join El in the kitchen.

As soon as Peter entered the kitchen El quickly shut the door and hissed, "What's going on. He's behaving oddly and why would he choose such an old movie?"

"I spanked him today, that's why he won't make eye contact with you. He's embarrassed. I need to get back in there and talk to him."

"No Peter, you need to explain to me what happened first. I don't like seeing him this way."

After a hurried, whispered conversation that quelled El's misgivings Peter returned to the living room and Neal. He found Neal still sitting on the sofa, unsettled and apprehensive. "So Neal, why did you choose that movie and why do you think I gave it to you as one of the choices?"

Neal, uncharacteristically unsure of himself and what Peter wanted from him, chose to answer as honestly as he could. "I chose that movie because I thought you would like it better than any of the others. I know you were trying to make a point, I know you care and I know you want the best for me just like Sidney Poitier wanted the best for those kids. I get it Peter."

"I'm glad you do Neal. I do care about you and I'll do anything I have to to help you become all that you can be," and with that he drew Neal into a hug.

"Come on boys, let's go out for dinner and celebrate," said El as she joined them.

"What are we celebrating Hon?"

"Being a family of course," and with that Neal and El chose a pricy restaurant they had both wanted to try. Peter shrugged and went along with their attempt to ruffle him. Life was good, he had his wife and his kid. What more could a man want or need.

The End

Yes, the correct answer is To Sir, With Love. There were 3 winners: Cola Kirk, Gloworm41 and Huffyn DK. And Huffyn DK expressed herself so well when she explained why she chose that movie that I asked for her permission to share it with you.

This is what she wrote: "I chose To Sir, With Love. I think the choice would speak a lot for both of them. Neal is a lot like the kids in the movie. They put up fronts and masks of being tough as nails, only fought for themselves because that is the only was they feel they have been taught in their lives. They basically were taught to trust no one except people in their peer group and to really fear and distrust adult authority. They push Poitier to his limits but ultimately see that he does care, has their best interests at heart, and they can trust him. Peter is a lot like the teacher. He disciplines from a place of caring and concern. He sees more to these kids then anyone else does. He can see the diamonds lurking inside the rough. He has to be firm and not always be their best friend

to round off the rough edges and bring the good he sees in them to the surface. He's there because he cares. I think Neal picking it would be to tell Peter that he might be sulking but he does understand. Peter putting it in the pile would be Peter's way of showing Neal he's there when Neal is good, he's there when Neal messes up to pull him back on track and he's also never going to throw up his hands and leave him. Oh man, I got deep and am crying now. Even if you only get one vote for it, you got a very impassioned one."

Thank you Huffyn DK for saying so eloquently what I wanted to say. I would never have been able to say it as well as you did.

Congratulations to all the winners.


End file.
